Truth Will Set You Free
by Queen of the Wallflowers
Summary: During a game of truth or dare, Steven asks Jackie the one questions that changes everything.


**I lied- During a game of truth and dare, Steven asks Jackie the one question that changes everything.**

* * *

It was a regular day for the group.

They were all in the basement, just coming down from a circle.

Hyde was sitting in his chair, Donna, Eric, and Kelso on the couch, Fez in his chair. Jakcie was sitting on the arm of the couch closest to Hyde but she seemd to be ignoring him.

They had already gone to the Hub, nothing good was on tv, and the water tower out of the question. Kelso's parents had promised him twenty bucks if he didn't end up at the hospital this month.

So they were stuck in the basement.

Jackie flipped through a magazine and Eric read a comic. Donna and Kelso were talking and Fez was eating candy. Hyde was bored.

"You all suck. This boring."

Jackie rolled her eyes.

"So go find a girl."

"Know any cheerleaders interested?"

She looked at him frowning, until she noticed the way he looked her up and down and she blushed. Since their kiss on the hood of the car, she had been more aware of him and this was not the first time she had seen him looking her up and down.

She shook her head to get rid of that thought.

"Cheerleaders don't hang out with losers."

"How do your explain your presence here?"

Eric asked, an amused smile on his face.

"Simple, I bring joy and beauty to your life."

She batted her eyelashes.

Eric snorted.

"You give me needs Jackie."

Hyde glared at him and Fez whimpered and went back to shoveling candy into his mouth.

Kelso turned to look at Jackie.

"Hey let's go do it."

She rolled her eyes and rolled up the magazine and hit his head.

"Michael we are over. So there will be no doing it."

"How about a game?"

Donna said throwing her hands in the air she didn't want to deal with any arguing or whining.

Hyde groaned.

"Fez gets pissed at monopoly, none of you play chess, Candyland gives Fez needs, Kelso doesn't understand most other games."

"How about never have I ever?"

Jackie said as she put her magazine down.

"No, because I know I'm going to lose at that. You are all squares, especially you, Jackie."

Jackie rolled up her magazine again and hit his shoulder.

"Take that back, Steven!"

"Or what, you will get me arrested again?"

Everyone froze and the basement grew quiet. No one had talked about that.

Jackie had apologized but that was the last time the incident was brought up.

Hyde realized what he said.

He turned to look at Jackie and he saw that her eyes were shiny with tears and her lip trembled. He removed his sunglasses and reached fer her.

"Shit, doll, I didn't mean it."

She stood up from the couch.

"I need to fix my lipstick." Her voice broke.

She stumbled away and dashed up the stairs and Hyde groaned. He was the one that she went to when she cried and now he made her cry.

* * *

"Nice going dumbass."

Hyde sighed, the guilt weighing on him.

"It was supposed to be a joke."

"She still feels really bad. For fuck's sake, she paid your bail."

"What?"

All eyes turned to Eric.

He sunk down into the couch, was he really taking the devil's side?

"Well Red paid but Jackie felt bad so she paid Red back. Refused to take it back. The only time I have seen Red lose an argument. She may be the devil but she's got a big heart."

Hyde felt even worse. The petite girl had paid for his bail, he really was going to burn in hell.

"She never said a word."

"She didn't want you to get mad, or like put up with her out of pity. Plus this was during the time that she had a crush on you and you wanted nothing to do with her."

* * *

Eric thought about Jackie.

The truth was as much as he didn't like her he could tell that she had a heart of gold. During her crush on Hyde 'phrase' he noticed that she seemed genuine.

He overheard her going after Kat Peterson for not wanting to hang out with Hyde in public. She said that Steven Hyde was worthy of taking out in public because he was a good person.

Hearing her defend his friend made him respect her. He also realized that Jackie had invited Hyde out to prove to everyone that he was good enough to be seen in publicizing for. The roller disco was where everyone was going to be, and she thought by dragging him there it would prove to everyone that he was good enough to take to public places. For a girl who likes her reputation a lot, she didn't seem to mind for it to crash and burn for the scruffy burnout.

Sure she had gone with her crush the wrong way but she was younger than them and she had only one boyfriend.

And because she was younger, their jokes and in this case Hyde's words struck her harder.

* * *

Hyde felt guilty.

He kept an eye on the stairs wondering if Jackie was going to come back.

Donna could see that he needed a distraction.

"You know Jackie has a good idea. Maybe not that game but what about truth or dare? You guys love that game. And we haven't played in a while."

Kelso smiled and Fez nodded. Eric agreed and Hyde shrugged. He was busy trying to hear what was going on upstairs.

"Should we wait for..." Eric trailed off.

"Just start the game." Hyde snapped.

* * *

Jackie came down ten minutes later.

She perched herself on the laundry machine and he turned to her.

"Look Jackie, I just wanted to say I'm.."

"Don't bother apologizing Steven."

"Jackie look I'll take you to the mall tomrrow or something to make up for what I said."

She rolled her eyes.

"I already have plans to go to the mall tomorrow."

Donna looked at her confused.

"Jackie we didn't make plans."

Jackie huffed and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Buddy Morgan and I are going shopping."

Eric nearly choked.

"Buddy Morgan?"

Jackie nodded, knowing all about their kiss.

"Yeah, anyway his parents have some big event coming up and he needed a date so he asked me."

Hyde looked at her, eyes dark for under his glasses.

"You and Buddy Morgan?"

"Just friends."

* * *

There was a moment of silence then Eric turned to Jackie.

"So devil truth or dare?"

Jackie bit her lip, swinging her legs against the machine.

"Truth, nerd."

"Who was your best kiss?"

Her eyes widened and her eyes darted to where Hyde was sitting.

"Steven."

Kelso jumped out of his seat. "What?"

"Fez forced a kiss on me. Micahel kisses me, then tries to reach under my skirt. Eric kisses me like I'm his sister. I kissed Buddy when I was eight. Steven is the best, by process of elimination."

"Wait back up, you kissed Eric?"

Donna was pissed, she and Hyde glared at Eric.

Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Some Snapping Turtle football players were bothering me and Eric was around so I threw myself at him and pretended he was my boyfriend, we had to make out or a bit and they backed off."

"You made out?"

Eric groaned.

"Jackie you swore you would never tell!"

"It's your fault for asking the questions." She snapped back then Eric grinned.

"So Steven, huh."

"Shut up nerd." Her cheeks were red and she refused to look at him.

Jackie turned to Fez, who choose truth. She grinned and Fez gulped.

* * *

They went a few rounds before they started another circle.

Fez had gone home as his host parents needed him but the game went on. Kelso took Fez's chair and Jackie climbed onto the couch, her legs curled under her. She was leaning her head back on the couch, eyes on Eric who rolled his eyes.

"I swear you are part cat, which makes sense since cats and devils go hand in hand."

Seeing her like that, all relaxed and innocent tugged at Hyde and he needed to squash that feeling.

"Jackie."

Her head snapped up and she looked at Steven.

"Truth or dare doll."

Jackie eyed Steven. He was known for giving the best dares but he was ruthless with truths. She bit her lip and he rolled his eyes.

"I don't have all day."

She flinched at his tone.

"Truth."

Everyone is quiet, waiting in anticipation.

Steven removed his glasses and Jackie met his eyes.

Eric watched them both and he felt dread in his bones.

* * *

"Veteran's day…"

Jackie closed her eyes.

Of all the things he was had to ask her, this was the one question she hoped he wouldn't.

"Steven, please."

"Did you lie?"

He needed to know.

Jakie knew that her answer would change everything.

She doesn't want it to change, but it had been eating at her.

"Jackie?"

Donna reached for her friend's leg, shaking it.

Eric looked at the smaller girl, next to him on the couch.

"Hey, are you okay?"

She stood up suddenly and grabbed her purse.

Steven watched her leave and he felt panic.

"Jackie."

"I lied."

She paused by the door, tilted her head and cocked a hip, a sad smile on her face.

"I lied that night Steven."

He looked at her, and they seemed to forget that they are not alone in the room. He puts his beer on the table and he looked up at her blue eyes wide.

Eric has never seen his best friend and brother look so rattled.

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to get hurt. Because I know you only took me out of pity, because I meant everything I said earlier that I didn't want to hear you say burn."

* * *

Hyde looked at the door where Jackie left, his mind whirring.

_He lied, she lied, she lied_ are running through his head.

He thinks back to the night and he realizes why she lied.

He has been harsh to her earlier, she probably figured it was a burn.

She was protecting herself and in the processes shattered both of their hearts.

He thinks back to the kiss, the way she cupped hsi jaw, the way she kissed him back with all she had, the way she was quiet and didn't look at him when she said she felt nothing.

He stands up suddenly and heads to his room and punched the wall.

* * *

Buddy watched his friend walk through the aisle, her fingers brushing past dresses.

Normally, she would have been pulling out hundreds of dresses to try on but she had not yet pulled out one.

"Jackie, how about this red one."

She looked at it and then shook her head.

"How about this one? It's the same color as your prom dress."

She looked at it and he watched her pale and turn around.

"Blue. I want a blue dress."

He nodded and then they began to pull out blue dresses.

Bubby went through the racks looking for something that would make her smile.

That was when he saw it.

It was a soft blue, not quite pale more of a baby blue, it had several buttons that went down the back and a dark blue ribbon that tied around the waist.

When she came out, she had a huge smile and her eyes were bright.

"I want this one."

He smiled and paid for it.

* * *

Jackie giggled and a genuine smile appeared on her face when Buddy wrapped his arm around her, disrupting the conversation.

They nodded goodbye and as he walked away, he leaned in.

"Thanks for coming, ready to go?"

"I'm not feeling too well, maybe you should take me home." She let herself sway a little to seal the deal and Buddy snorted.

They approached their parents with the excuse and were given permission to leave.

Buddy drove her to the Formans.

* * *

Eric recognized the car and when Jackie got out, his jaw dropped, the others turned to see what the fuss was.

Red gave her a small smirk and jerked his head at the group.

"I see you have the dumbasses silence for once."

Jackie moved to the side as the boys were playing basketball and she didn't want to get hurt. Donna was on the car hood and Jackie wanted to join her when Hyde placed a jacket on the hood of the car.

"Need a hand doll?"

He helped her up onto the hood and she fixed her dress, Donna who sensed the tension slide off the hood and jumped into the game, leaving them to sit on the car hood.

He couldn't help but glance at her. The dress was pretty, a light blue, with lace on the edges of the dress. She was pretty.

They sat watching their friends play, the revelation from a few nights ago still in their heads.

"Jackie we need to talk."

"Later."

She knew he was going to break her heart, she wanted to postpone the inevitable.

He sighed and frowned as he watched her shiver.

"Cold?"

He wrapped an arm around her.

"Better?"

She moved in closer to him and her eyes darted up to his lips before she looked away.

Eric grinned when he saw them, it was like a scene from a movie, the princess and the stoner.

* * *

How_ did Jackie get under his skin so badly?_

He needed a smoke, so he grabbed his cigarettes.

He exited his room and froze when he saw that Jackie was on the couch.

"Steven?"

She blinked at him sleepily.

"What are you doing here."

"Told me we needed to talk"

"I meant another time. Let me drive you home."

"Can I stay? No one's home."

He looked at her and nodded. He would sleep on the door on the couch. He led her to his room and tossed her some clothes.

She turned around and took in the millions of buttons on her back.

"Can you help me?"

He swallowed hard and removed his sunglasses, his fingers fumbling.

He worked on the rest of her buttons slowly, revealing more and more of her soft skin. He reached for the ribbon and gently pulled it. With her bare back in front of his eyes, he couldn't help himself, he placed a kiss on her neck and then let his fingers run down her spine.

He waited for her to yell at him but she simply let go of the dress and it fell to her feet.

She stepped away and slipped his shirt. He saw her start to remove her hairpins and gently took them from her then he reached for her hair and began to remove them for her.

She froze until all the pins were gone and her hair hung around her face. She then picked up the dress and shook it out and placed it on the dresser.

"Steven."

"I'm going to sleep on the couch."

"Steven will you look at me."

He ignored her and she crawled into bed and slid under the covers, as the basement was cold.

She grabbed a book and began to read.

After a while, she put the book down and went to check on Steven. She grabbed a blanket and placed it over his sleeping body and pressed a kiss to his forGoodnight

od night Steven."

* * *

He wasn't asleep when she came to see him.

It took him five minutes to get the courage to go to his room. She had given him the warmer blanket and was curled into a ball.

"Jackie?"

She turned to look at him and then sat up.

They stared at each other, the blanket clutched in his hand until she got up and pulled him to bed gently. He didn't fight her as she curled up next to him and wrapped his arm around her.

The blanket and the extra body heat was nice but being around Jackie made him feel warm. She sighed content and closed her eyes.

They could deal with everything in the morning.

"Goodnight doll."

* * *

After breakfast with the Formans, Jackie goes back to his room to get his dress and he followed her.

Hyde doesn't mean to get so close but he stands in front of her and then she rose to her toe and kissed him softly. She pulled away and then he pulled her back in and kissed her.

"Steven."

He paused, realization setting in, pulled away.

"Steven."

"Jackie, stop we can't, your Kelso's girl."

"I'm not his girl."

"We can't Jackie, I can't."

"Why Steven? Why?"

"I don't do girlfriends, Jackie, I won't buy you presents or put up with your whining. You are going to have to settle for one night or nothing at all."

He doesn't look at her as she leaves.

* * *

Jackie went home and jumped into the shower.

It's a bad idea, settling for one night with him but she will take what she can get. She will be like the other girls, the only difference is that she will still (hopefully) be his friend.

She got ready, picking out her favorite eye-catching outfit.

The second she entered the room Hyde knew something was up.

"Steven where are the pudding pops?"

He ignored her but he jumped when an empty box hits him on the head and he turned around to yell at he, only to see her ass as she leans into the freezer looking for something.

His eyes traced over her small form and then he is out of his seat.

He grabbed her by the waist and presses her against the freezer and kisses her hard.

She kisses him back.

They stumbled into his room, and their clothes landing on the floor.

* * *

Jackie woke up and found him watching her, a joint in his hand.

She silently gathered her stuff and he watched her.

"Where are you going doll?"

She closed her eyes, steeling herself for what is about to happen.

"Home, Hyde, I'm going home."

He frowned the realization that she called him Hyde and not Steven sobering him up quickly.

"Jackie?"

She clipped her bra, slipped into her clothes, and slid her feet into her heels.

She fixed her makeup in the reflection of a mirror he has on the dresser.

"You said one night or nothing."

Then she walked over to the bed and kissed him softly.

"I'll see you around Steven Hyde."


End file.
